October 22, 2008

Krause retirement sets off heated race to succeed her

Heated legislative race in northwest suburbs

Elk Grove Village trustee competes with Arlington Heights business consultant

By Jeff Long

Tribune reporter

October 22, 2008

The decision by Republican state Rep. Carolyn Krause to retire after 16 years in the Illinois legislature has triggered a nasty fight between the two candidates competing to fill her northwest suburban seat.

The 66th House District includes parts of Elk Grove Village, Mt. Prospect, Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg.

Walker has accused Prochno of engaging in "pay-to-play" politics by accepting campaign contributions from people who do business with the Elk Grove Village Board, where she is in her third term as a trustee.

"It just gives a sense that favoritism is being showed," said Walker, who has lived in Arlington Heights for 25 years.

Prochno, who has been a trustee since 1997, said such contributions do not influence her votes.

"If you have no record to stand on, what can you say about yourself?" Prochno responded in a separate interview.

Prochno has sent out campaign mailers accusing Walker of once being an executive for a company that sent thousands of jobs overseas. Walker says he last worked at the company, Citibank, in 1990—before any jobs were outsourced.

Prochno, a former teacher, counters that Walker touts his business experience as a reason voters should send him to Springfield. She said she didn't realize he was hyping a job he held so long ago—but she has refused to retract the allegations or apologize, as Walker has demanded.

The barbs come in a race that both candidates acknowledge is crucial for both parties. Democrats have been gaining ground in the northwest suburbs.

"Look at what's happening in Springfield with a Democratic majority," Prochno said. "Do we really want to send another Democrat down there?"

Walker, a business consultant, said state government needs to improve its image before people will trust it. And he said Prochno is a politician who won't bring the changes that are needed.

"From a business point of view, the government is a weak leader and a bad manager," he said.

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

Past posts

Clout has a special meaning in Chicago, where it can be a noun, a verb or an adjective. This exercise of political influence in a uniquely Chicago style was chronicled in the Tribune cartoon "Clout Street" in the early 1980s. Clout Street, the blog, offers an inside look at the politics practiced from Chicago's City Hall to the Statehouse in Springfield, through the eyes of the Tribune's political and government reporters.